Trucker's journey with stray cats: Uncle Wang's road companion story
For over four decades, truck driver Wang Tianjun spent his days hauling goods between Suzhou and Guangdong Province, navigating long and lonely highways. But everything changed in 2020 when he spotted a starving stray cat searching for food in a pile of garbage.
Unable to turn away, he took the cat in, bathed it, and fed it – marking the beginning of an extraordinary bond.
Wang adopted Fubao in 2020, a skinny cat then.
Without any prior experience raising pets, Wang turned to Douyin followers for guidance. He named the cat Fubao, made a makeshift litter box from a mooncake tin, and adjusted his trucker lifestyle to accommodate his new companion. What started as a simple act of kindness soon transformed his entire journey.
Wang plays with Fubao in the cab of his truck.
In the following years, Wang adopted more stray cats he encountered on his routes – Xiaobai, a mischievous troublemaker, and Xiaoli, an affectionate cuddle bug.
Eventually, his truck became a rolling cat haven, complete with a three-decker bed for his feline passengers, personalized nameplates, and seasonal comforts like air conditioning in the summer and warm outfits in winter.
Wang and his feline passengers.
Wang's heartfelt interactions with his cats, documented on Douyin, struck a chord with netizens. His channel amassed over 700,000 followers, and his story even became the subject of a Bilibili documentary that gained over 20 million views.
Many followers began meeting him in person, offering treats for his beloved pets whenever he passed through their cities.
In almost 5,000 videos, Wang shares his daily interactions with the kitties with his 700,000 followers.
However, tragedy struck in 2023 when Fubao fell ill. Despite Wang's efforts, it was too late to save him.
Wang held Fubao in his arms in the hospital, but there was nothing he could do. The helpless man cried.
The loss left a void, but fate had another surprise – he later found a calico cat bearing a striking resemblance to Fubao. He named her Fumei, continuing his journey with a growing feline family that now numbers nine.
As time goes by, Wang has adopted more and more stray cats.
The cute cats rest on the truck.
As Wang nears retirement, he has upgraded to a minivan, dreaming of new adventures with his cats beyond the highways.
What began as a simple act of kindness has turned into a life-changing journey – one that has warmed countless hearts along the way.
"Thank you for keeping me company," Wang said in the bilibili.com documentary.
